Hopewell Township announces three new programs to improve communication

The Hopewell Township Committee announced, this week, three new programs to facilitate better communication with the residents of Hopewell Valley.

The Township recently launched a newly designed website: www.hopewelltwp.org. The streamlined designed website provides easier access and search capabilities, and information has been reorganized into more intuitive categories, according to Deputy Mayor Julie Blake.

Residents will also be able to sign up for Township programs directly from the website. The new site has also been optimized for mobile usage to provide easy, on-the-go access to information. The new web platform will enable Township staff to individually log on and quickly update information securely for their departments.

In the coming weeks, the Township will also be releasing a free new app that can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Apps, as well as a new Township Facebook page. These new tools will promote better communication with our community and encourage broader participation. The app, for example, will allow the Township to send notifications to residents’ cell phonesabout upcoming brush, leaf, and bulky waste pick-ups by zones, as well as neighborhood alerts on road projects and advance notice of upcoming meetings in the Township. Residents can tailor these notifications to their individual preferences. Similarly, the Township’s new Facebook page will enable us to update Township residents regularly through Hopewell Pennington Update and other channels, and to make key information available more broadly on important issues facing the community.

The Township Committee will continue to have weekly Mayor and Deputy Mayor’s Hours in the Township Building. Meet with Mayor Kevin Kuchinski the 3rd Friday of each month from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and the 4th Thursday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Meet with Deputy Mayor Julie Blake the 1st Tuesday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary.

Finally, Hopewell residents are invited to a special Affordable Housing information session at Hopewell Valley Central High School Performing Arts Center at 7 pm on Tuesday, September 19th.

This session will be led by Hopewell Township resident and state Master Planner Phil Caton, and will provide residents with a history of Affordable Housing Law, an explanation of the Township’s legal obligations, and an overview of the proposed settlement.

The HaveYourSay Hopewell portal is another new community engagement tool launched earlier this year by the Committee, and has previously been used to help share information on the Emerald Ash Borer threat, and to get input on where ash trees are located throughout the Township. It was also used successfully to publicize the Valley-wide Solar Challenge.

(Above has been a message for Hopewell Township Deputy Mayor Julie Blake)